![\"microsoft](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/microsoft-copilot.jpg?resize=770%2C495&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
Table of contents<\/h2>\n\n- Copilot for Drafting<\/a>\n
\n- Drafting Blog Posts<\/a><\/li>\n
- Formatting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Copilot for Summarizing Documents<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot for Summarizing Email<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot for Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot in Teams<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot for Excel<\/a><\/li>\n
- Last, Not Least: Copilot\u2019s Speed<\/a><\/li>\n
- About Affinity Consulting Group<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Tech Tips From Danielle DavisRoe<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Office 365 Training Manuals for Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Last year, I suggested that Microsoft Copilot might not be worth the money, but I predicted that it would continue to improve. (See \u201cMicrosoft Copilot for Lawyers: Is It Worth the Money?<\/a>\u201d for my thoughts a year ago.) Microsoft\u2019s GenAI-driven chat interface has definitely gotten better, but there\u2019s still has a ton of growth potential.<\/p>\nHere\u2019s how I put Copilot through its paces, including what I found year-over-year.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Drafting<\/h2>\n
I started with a prompt identical to the one I used last year: \u201cDraft an article about whether Microsoft Copilot is worth the money for a small firm lawyer.\u201d Last year, it started talking about lawyers who write code \u2014 it was completely irrelevant.<\/p>\n
This year, however, it talked about how lawyers can use Copilot to draft legal documents, generate reports and manage schedules \u2014 allowing them to take on more work and boost profitability. Most of the article was pretty generic, but it didn\u2019t talk about coding.<\/p>\n
It also hallucinated a case study about a family law firm that used Copilot to save administrative time and increase billable hours. It definitely understood what\u2019s relevant this time, but I don\u2019t love that it hallucinated a case study.<\/p>\n
Drafting Blog Posts<\/h3>\n
Last year, I asked both Copilot and ChatGPT to \u201cdraft a blog post about the importance of estate planning for blended families.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, ChatGPT did a much better job of tailoring the draft to the unique needs of blended families. Copilot did an OK job last year, but it wasn\u2019t very specific to the unique needs of blended families. This year, Copilot had a much better understanding of the unique needs of blended families. Neither ChatGPT nor Copilot was the clear winner. Both would have benefited from better prompts.<\/p>\n
Formatting <\/h3>\n
There was really no change in terms of formatting. Copilot still can\u2019t be used to change formatting in your document, but it can give you instructions on how to do it yourself.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Summarizing Documents<\/h2>\n
Again this year, I asked Copilot to summarize a state supreme court brief and an operating agreement. Copilot recommends using the prompt \u201cSummarize this doc.\u201d You can use it with a single click. Here\u2019s how it worked for the documents.<\/p>\n
Supreme Court Brief<\/h3>\n
Like last year, I asked it to summarize two versions of the same brief: one formatted using styles and one that did not contain any formatting whatsoever.<\/p>\n
Both this year and last year, Copilot did a more detailed job summarizing the unformatted version.<\/p>\n
Last year, when summarizing the unformatted version, Copilot included information about the other side\u2019s arguments and a summary of the legal issues. This year, however, neither version included those details in the summary.<\/p>\n
Operating Agreement<\/h3>\n
Last year, when I asked Copilot to summarize a 16-page operating agreement, it could only make it through the first four articles. This year, however, when asked to summarize the same document, it summarized all eight articles.<\/p>\n
The article titles were formatted with heading styles, and Copilot organized the summary by article, including links to places in the document where it got the information.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Summarizing Email<\/h2>\n
Individual email summaries are about as good as they were last year. They summarize pertinent information pretty well, but they still do not summarize email attachments.<\/p>\n
In an improvement, Copilot in Outlook can now summarize multiple emails at once, which you couldn\u2019t do in Outlook last year.<\/p>\n
Outlook\u2019s summary of emails focused on messages about scheduling meetings. It also included a marketing email that shared time-saving tips, but it didn\u2019t include any other marketing emails.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Meetings<\/h2>\n
Last year, Copilot did a decent job of noting the things meeting attendees agreed to do, but it missed the deadlines. This year, Copilot captured the deadlines in its list of follow-up tasks.<\/p>\n
As for preparing for a meeting, Copilot will now:<\/p>\n
\n- Pull a list of meetings tomorrow.<\/li>\n
- Warn you if nobody has accepted the invite.<\/li>\n
- Pull related emails as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Copilot in Teams<\/h2>\n
The list of available prompts in Teams has improved. It now includes suggestions for meetings you might need help preparing for or for summarizing emails from someone with whom you\u2019ve been exchanging a significant number of emails.<\/p>\n![\"Copilot](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Copilot-Teams-Prompt-Gallery-770x445.jpg?resize=770%2C445&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
Copilot Teams Prompt Gallery.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nCopilot for Excel<\/h2>\n
I found that not much has changed with Copilot for Excel.<\/p>\n
Last, Not Least: Copilot\u2019s Speed<\/h2>\n
Copilot seems speedier this year compared with 2024. Or maybe I\u2019ve gotten more patient the more I\u2019ve used AI. I can\u2019t be sure since I didn\u2019t time it last year.<\/p>\n
\nAbout Affinity Consulting Group<\/h2>\n
Affinity Consulting Group inspires, enables and empowers legal teams of all sizes to work smarter, from anywhere. The company\u2019s holistic approach incorporates people, process and technology. Affinity\u2019s passionate, well-connected industry experts work hand in hand with you to help you better understand and optimize your business \u2014 from software to growth strategy, and everything in between.<\/p>\n
\nMore Tech Tips From Danielle DavisRoe<\/h2>\n\n- Legal AI Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction in Your Law Firm<\/a><\/li>\n
- Law Firm Tech Cleanup: 6 Steps to Boost Efficiency\u00a0and Cut Costs\u00a0Now<\/a><\/li>\n
- 15 Secure Collaboration Hacks Every Lawyer Should Know<\/a><\/li>\n
- 25 Quick Tech Tips to Try in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6 Ways Microsoft Word Speech-to-Text AI Can Help You Write Faster and Better<\/a><\/li>\n
- PDF Bookmarks: The Secret to Quickly Creating User-Friendly Documents<\/a><\/li>\n
- Never Forget to Follow Up: Using Outlook Email Reminders<\/a><\/li>\n
- Templates to Create Model Documents That Save Your Law Firm Tons of Time<\/a><\/li>\n
- Paperless Law Practice: How to Boost Efficiency, Cut Costs and Improve Client Satisfaction<\/a><\/li>\n
- Take Your Practice to the Next Level With Document Automation Tools<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Master Page Numbers in MS Word<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.attorneyatwork.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Affinity-Microsoft-Word-2023.jpg?resize=600%2C600&ssl=1\" "\\"\\"")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\nMicrosoft Word for Legal Professionals<\/strong><\/h3>\nWant to work faster? For in-depth information and instructions on getting the most from Word, order\u00a0Affinity Consulting Group<\/a>\u2019s hands-on digital manual\u00a0\u201cMicrosoft Word for Legal Professionals.<\/a><\/strong>\u201d<\/a> Individual and site licenses are available for download in the Attorney at Work bookstore.<\/p>\n
- \n
- Drafting Blog Posts<\/a><\/li>\n
- Formatting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Copilot for Summarizing Documents<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot for Summarizing Email<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot for Meetings<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot in Teams<\/a><\/li>\n
- Copilot for Excel<\/a><\/li>\n
- Last, Not Least: Copilot\u2019s Speed<\/a><\/li>\n
- About Affinity Consulting Group<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Tech Tips From Danielle DavisRoe<\/a><\/li>\n
- More Office 365 Training Manuals for Lawyers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
Last year, I suggested that Microsoft Copilot might not be worth the money, but I predicted that it would continue to improve. (See \u201cMicrosoft Copilot for Lawyers: Is It Worth the Money?<\/a>\u201d for my thoughts a year ago.) Microsoft\u2019s GenAI-driven chat interface has definitely gotten better, but there\u2019s still has a ton of growth potential.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how I put Copilot through its paces, including what I found year-over-year.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Drafting<\/h2>\n
I started with a prompt identical to the one I used last year: \u201cDraft an article about whether Microsoft Copilot is worth the money for a small firm lawyer.\u201d Last year, it started talking about lawyers who write code \u2014 it was completely irrelevant.<\/p>\n
This year, however, it talked about how lawyers can use Copilot to draft legal documents, generate reports and manage schedules \u2014 allowing them to take on more work and boost profitability. Most of the article was pretty generic, but it didn\u2019t talk about coding.<\/p>\n
It also hallucinated a case study about a family law firm that used Copilot to save administrative time and increase billable hours. It definitely understood what\u2019s relevant this time, but I don\u2019t love that it hallucinated a case study.<\/p>\n
Drafting Blog Posts<\/h3>\n
Last year, I asked both Copilot and ChatGPT to \u201cdraft a blog post about the importance of estate planning for blended families.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last year, ChatGPT did a much better job of tailoring the draft to the unique needs of blended families. Copilot did an OK job last year, but it wasn\u2019t very specific to the unique needs of blended families. This year, Copilot had a much better understanding of the unique needs of blended families. Neither ChatGPT nor Copilot was the clear winner. Both would have benefited from better prompts.<\/p>\n
Formatting <\/h3>\n
There was really no change in terms of formatting. Copilot still can\u2019t be used to change formatting in your document, but it can give you instructions on how to do it yourself.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Summarizing Documents<\/h2>\n
Again this year, I asked Copilot to summarize a state supreme court brief and an operating agreement. Copilot recommends using the prompt \u201cSummarize this doc.\u201d You can use it with a single click. Here\u2019s how it worked for the documents.<\/p>\n
Supreme Court Brief<\/h3>\n
Like last year, I asked it to summarize two versions of the same brief: one formatted using styles and one that did not contain any formatting whatsoever.<\/p>\n
Both this year and last year, Copilot did a more detailed job summarizing the unformatted version.<\/p>\n
Last year, when summarizing the unformatted version, Copilot included information about the other side\u2019s arguments and a summary of the legal issues. This year, however, neither version included those details in the summary.<\/p>\n
Operating Agreement<\/h3>\n
Last year, when I asked Copilot to summarize a 16-page operating agreement, it could only make it through the first four articles. This year, however, when asked to summarize the same document, it summarized all eight articles.<\/p>\n
The article titles were formatted with heading styles, and Copilot organized the summary by article, including links to places in the document where it got the information.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Summarizing Email<\/h2>\n
Individual email summaries are about as good as they were last year. They summarize pertinent information pretty well, but they still do not summarize email attachments.<\/p>\n
In an improvement, Copilot in Outlook can now summarize multiple emails at once, which you couldn\u2019t do in Outlook last year.<\/p>\n
Outlook\u2019s summary of emails focused on messages about scheduling meetings. It also included a marketing email that shared time-saving tips, but it didn\u2019t include any other marketing emails.<\/p>\n
Copilot for Meetings<\/h2>\n
Last year, Copilot did a decent job of noting the things meeting attendees agreed to do, but it missed the deadlines. This year, Copilot captured the deadlines in its list of follow-up tasks.<\/p>\n
As for preparing for a meeting, Copilot will now:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Pull a list of meetings tomorrow.<\/li>\n
- Warn you if nobody has accepted the invite.<\/li>\n
- Pull related emails as well.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Copilot in Teams<\/h2>\n
The list of available prompts in Teams has improved. It now includes suggestions for meetings you might need help preparing for or for summarizing emails from someone with whom you\u2019ve been exchanging a significant number of emails.<\/p>\n
Copilot Teams Prompt Gallery.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Copilot for Excel<\/h2>\n
I found that not much has changed with Copilot for Excel.<\/p>\n
Last, Not Least: Copilot\u2019s Speed<\/h2>\n
Copilot seems speedier this year compared with 2024. Or maybe I\u2019ve gotten more patient the more I\u2019ve used AI. I can\u2019t be sure since I didn\u2019t time it last year.<\/p>\n
\nAbout Affinity Consulting Group<\/h2>\n
Affinity Consulting Group inspires, enables and empowers legal teams of all sizes to work smarter, from anywhere. The company\u2019s holistic approach incorporates people, process and technology. Affinity\u2019s passionate, well-connected industry experts work hand in hand with you to help you better understand and optimize your business \u2014 from software to growth strategy, and everything in between.<\/p>\n
\nMore Tech Tips From Danielle DavisRoe<\/h2>\n
- \n
- Legal AI Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction in Your Law Firm<\/a><\/li>\n
- Law Firm Tech Cleanup: 6 Steps to Boost Efficiency\u00a0and Cut Costs\u00a0Now<\/a><\/li>\n
- 15 Secure Collaboration Hacks Every Lawyer Should Know<\/a><\/li>\n
- 25 Quick Tech Tips to Try in 2025<\/a><\/li>\n
- 6 Ways Microsoft Word Speech-to-Text AI Can Help You Write Faster and Better<\/a><\/li>\n
- PDF Bookmarks: The Secret to Quickly Creating User-Friendly Documents<\/a><\/li>\n
- Never Forget to Follow Up: Using Outlook Email Reminders<\/a><\/li>\n
- Templates to Create Model Documents That Save Your Law Firm Tons of Time<\/a><\/li>\n
- Paperless Law Practice: How to Boost Efficiency, Cut Costs and Improve Client Satisfaction<\/a><\/li>\n
- Take Your Practice to the Next Level With Document Automation Tools<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Master Page Numbers in MS Word<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\nMicrosoft Word for Legal Professionals<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Want to work faster? For in-depth information and instructions on getting the most from Word, order\u00a0Affinity Consulting Group<\/a>\u2019s hands-on digital manual\u00a0\u201cMicrosoft Word for Legal Professionals.<\/a><\/strong>\u201d<\/a> Individual and site licenses are available for download in the Attorney at Work bookstore.<\/p>\n
- Law Firm Tech Cleanup: 6 Steps to Boost Efficiency\u00a0and Cut Costs\u00a0Now<\/a><\/li>\n
- Legal AI Myths: Separating Fact from Fiction in Your Law Firm<\/a><\/li>\n
- Formatting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n